Diplomacy

[Borys]

Ahoj!
Instead of starting a shooting war, you may express displeasure with another country by recalling your representative. Or downgrading the rank of mission.

Guideline:
1. Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary, or simply Ambassador, who is a representative of the head of state.
A diplomatic mission headed by an ambassador would be known as an Embassy;

2. Minister Plenipotentiary (in full Envoy Extraordinary and Minister Plenipotentiary), or simply Envoy. Usually just referred to as a Minister, an envoy is a diplomatic representative with plenipotentiary powers (i.e. full authority to represent the head of state), but ranking below an Ambassador. Where Embassies are headed by Ambassadors, Legations are headed by Ministers.

3. Minister Resident or Resident Minister, or simply Minister, is the, now extremely rare, lowest rank of full diplomatic mission chief, only above Chargé d'affaires (who is considered an extraordinary substitute).

    * Note that both the Minister Plenipotentiary and the Minister Resident are diplomatic ministers, which are not the same thing as government ministers or religious ministers. A diplomatic mission headed by either type of Minister would be called a Legation. As they formally represent the head of state, they are entitled to use the title "His/Her Excellency", which originally was reserved for Ambassadors.

4. Chargé d'affaires, or simply Chargé. As the French title suggests, a chargé d'affaires would be in charge of an embassy's or a legation's affairs in the (usually temporary) absence of a more senior diplomat. A Chargé d'affaires ad interim or simply "a.i." is generally serving as head of mission during the temporary absence of the head of mission.


Please remember that in those days Ambassadors were sent by Powers to other Powers. E.g. Austria does not have an Embassy in Siam, but a Legation with Envoy. And the chill in Norman-Habsburg relations is reflected in the fact that these two powers have Legations headed by Resident Ministers, i.e. two grades lower than would be the custum.